Fiscal Court opts to leave short-term rental regs alone; approves other amendments
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, March 1, 2022 — At its meeting Tuesday morning, Nelson Fiscal Court opted not to approve proposed changes to the county regulations that regulate short-term rentals and beds and breakfast.
The changes would have added guidance in regard to the density of investor-owned short-term rentals in a single neighborhood. The proposed change would have required short-term rental properties to be a least 400 feet apart.
A committee led by planning administrator Jan Johnston-Crowe devised the proposed regulations to prevent investor-owned short-term rentals from being a negative impact on the residential character of neighborhoods across the county. The 400-foot limit would have only applied to properties owned by investors who don’t live on the property.
The rules would not have imposed the same restrictions on owner-occupied short-term rentals, or using secondary homes on their main residence for a short-term rental.
Magistrate Gary Coulter said in his neighborhood, the homeowners association would prevent short-term rentals in the neighborhood.
OTHER ZONING UPDATES. The court did approved two proposed amendments to the county’s zoning regulations.
The first would extend the length a zoning compliance permit was valid from six months to one year. Due to supply chain issues and labor shortages, some projects are requiring more time to complete construction.
The other change approved would allow smaller distilleries and breweries to have storage on premises for a limited amount of their product, and allow them to expand to add storage warehouses if space permits.
BULKY ITEM PICKUP. The county’s annual bulky item pickup is now underway, and county crews are currently working in the first pickup area along Deatville Road.
ASSESSMENT MORATORIUM. The new owners of the former Holiday Inn property on US31E at the Bluegrass Parkway were granted a five-year property assessment moratorium by fiscal court Tuesday.
The owners plan to invest up to $10 millions on the hotel property, currenty valued at $880,000.
According to the application, the owners are planning to have more than 100 rooms with a restaurant, bar, spa, lounge, pool, hot tubs, event space and fire pits.
JAIL HEALTHCARE. The court renewed the county’s contract with Southern Health Partners for healthcare services for inmates housed at the county jail. The new contract calls for a 3 percent increase in the base fee and per diem rate. The contract pays the group $10,668.23 per month plus $1.29 per each visit over 120 per month.
In other business, Nelson Fiscal Court:
— received an update on construction of bridges on Dee Head Road and Woodlawn Road.
— received an update on the closure of Ben Irvin Road at the bridge over the mouth of Sympson Lake after the state reduced the bridge’s capacity to 12 tons.
The new, lower rating means school buses, garbage trucks and heavy equipment can no longer cross the bridge. Ben Irvin Road is a state road, and the state is responsible for repairs to the bridge.
— received $1,052,892.52 in excess fees from Nelson County Clerk Jeanette Hall Sidebottom.
— discussed briefly a bill filed in the state house that would eliminate the distilled spirits tax. If eliminated, the tax would remove a total of $8.7 million in revenue from local governments, schools, etc.
— held a moment of silence in honor of former Nelson County Jailer Dorcas Figg.
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